Mail-handling means for apartment houses



4 Sheets-Shoot 2 'z/erA /VarreZZ 0.1.. NQRRELL MAIL HANDLING MEANS Fon APARTMENT HOUSES Flled Sept. 19. 1924 I I Il Il u p If ll u n :a l: H u u May 4 1926.

May 4, 192s. A 1,583,734

o. L. NORRELL MAIL HANDLING MEANS FOR APARTMENT HOUSES Filed Sept. 19, 1924 4 Sheets-heet 5 Oil' we 7 L. /VarreZZ INVENTOR ATTOR N EY May 4 1926. '1,583,734 v o. l.. NORRELL MAIL HANDLING lMEANS FOR APARTMENT HOUSES l Filed sept. 19. 1924 4 sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented May 4, 1926.

OLIVER L'. Nonni-snr., or1 RTCHMONnvIRG-INIA. i

'e Yaffair-r11LNDLING MEANS Fon ArARTMEN'r Housns.

' Application and september 19,1924. seri-a1 Ne. 738,728.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Onrvnn L. Nonnnrn ay citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented new andl useful Improvements in lVlail-l-Iandling- Means for Apartment Houses, of which the following is a specification.H 7

The general object of my presenty invention is theprovision. of improved means for safely and conveniently handling mail matter in apartment houses and the like-i. e., transferring mail matter from a central station at or adjacent to the ground floor to apartments on floors` above the groundv floor and vice versa. Y

The apparatus also includes meansfor the delivery of mail to and from apartment holders on the ground floor, as well as means for apprising the apartment holders when Vmail isplacedv in their respective depositories. j y

Other' objects and practical advantages of the invention will be lfully understood from the following descriptionand claims when the same are read in connection with thel drawings, accompanying andforming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation illustrative of an equipment provided in accordance with my invention adjacent to the ground floor of an apartment.

Figure 2 is Va front elevation of an equip-` mentv provided in accordance with my invention forl an upper floor of. an apartment.`

Figure Sis a detail vertical section taken inthe plane indicatedby thevk line 3--3l of Figure 1. j

Figure 4 is a Vertical section on vthe line L t-4 yof Figure2. f l Y 'Figure 5v is a detail front elevation .showing a depository `or box of which there is one for each apartment.

Figure 6v is a section of the same'taken in the plane indicated by the line 6-6 of Figure' 5. i

and it alsoincludes, by preference stationary' boxes 2 shown by dotted lines in Figure'l Figures 7 andA 8 are views diagrammatic' for the loccupants of groundl floor apartments as well. as boxes 3 for the occupants of apartments above the ground Hoor. Each of theboxes 2 and 3 referred to are provided with front doors 4, hinged at 5 and designed to be detachably secured in closed position by individual locks 6. Each of the said docrs't'is provided at 7 with a holder to receive a card 8X that bearsr the names ofthe parties resident in the apartment to which the particular box belongs. It will'also be' noticed that each door 4 is provided withl a slot 8 for the introduction of. first class mail matter and a slot. 9 for the insertion of magazines and the like. The said slots L8 andx9 are` normally closed byv 'gravitational flaps e 10 andY 11, respectively, and the` said flaps 10 and 11 are each provided with circuit closing brushes, the brushof the flap 10 being designated by 12, andthe brush of the flap 11 being designated by 13, Figures 6 and l7. By virtue of this equipment it will be manifest thatvwhen either the flap 10 or the flap 1-1 of a particular box 3 is opened incident yto the placing of mail matter in the box, the -`brush of the opened flap will cof also be understood from Figure 3 that each` of the boxes 3 that `are movable vertically in the shafts 1 is provided with' a pendent receptacle 18, the'said receptacle 18 being pro'- vidved with a mouth 19 and being designed for the reception of packages.

The ground floor equipment, Figures 1y and 3 includes ,2a-plurality of wall openings 20 and 21, thestationary boxes 2l being disposedin coincidence with the openings'20,

andthe boxes3'being designed 'to bemove'd,

to and from positions in coincidence with the openings V21. ',A-ll. of the yseveral openings 20 and 21, vFigures 1 and y3Y are designedy to be controlled by alarge door 25.).hinged4 at 23 and providedat 24.,.with ay handle Vinconnection with a latch 25 adapted lto v'detachably secure the door in closed position. Atl' 26 the door 22 is provided on itsinner sidev with protuberanc'eswhich are designed tov engage and close the swinging doors'4 in the event of the letter carrier failing to close the said doors 4 after he has removed mail matter Ifrom the boxes 2 and 3, it being understood in this connection that the locks 6 are of the snap type.

' By comparison of Figures 2, 4 and 8 it will be understood that an electric motor 27 is employed for each box 3; also, that the ends of cables 29 and 30 are connected by springs 3l and 32 with the upper and lower side of each box 3, and that thecable 29 is provided at 33 with an abutment while the cable is provided at 34 with a similar abutment. It will also be understood that each cable 30 is carried under stationary sheaves relatively arranged as shown in Figure 3. Each cable 29 is connected to and is designed to be wound on and let off of a drum 36 to which is fixed a spur gear 27,V

Figures 2 ,and 4, while each cable 30 is connected to and designedto be wound on and let olf of a similar drum'to which is fixed a spur gear 38. There is an electric motor 27 complementary to each pair of gears 37 and 38, and each electric motor 27 is provided on its armature shaft with a spur gear 39 in mesh Vwith a spur gear 40 adapted to be meshed with the gears 37 and 38 alternately. Each gear 40 is carried by the arm 4l of an angular hand lever 42, Figure 4, and each hand lever 42 is movable in a slot 43 in the front wall of a shaft 1 at one of the upper floors of the apartment house. Manifestly when the lever 42 is positioned to mesh the gear 40 with the gear 37 and the motor 27 is energized the particular box 3 in connection -with the gear 37 will be raised by the operation of the motor, and when the gear 40 is meshed with the gear 38, the said box 3 will be lowered. At 44 and 45 the lever 42 is provided with brake strips designed to engage the drums alternately with a view to stopping rotation of the said drums. In this connection it will be understood that the lever 42 appropriated to each apartment is designed to lbe thrown to the position shown in Figure 4 when-the apartment holder desires to bring about the elevation of his particular mail box 3. It will also be understood that when the lever 42 is swung downwardly to place the gear 40 in mesh with the. gear 38, the particular box 3 of the apartment holder will be lowered from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 3. In this connection it will be understood that when the box 3 is in the position shown in Figure 4 the saidbox 3 will be coincident with an opening 50 provided in the front wall of the particular shaft l adjacent to one of the upper floors of the apartment. The said opening 50 is normally closed by a gravitational slide door 5l, Figure 4, the said slide door 5l being raised to the open position shown in Figure 4 as the box 3 moves upwardly to position coincident with the opening 50, and being designed on downward movement of the box 3 to gravitate to a position in which it will close the opening 50 and thereby prevent the mischievous introduction of any article into the shaft l.

By comparison of Figures 3 and 7 it will be understood that the circuit shown in Figure 7 and one of which is employed for eachbox 3 will be partially closed by terminals 52 on the box 3 contacting with stationary terminals 53 when the box is coincident with one of the before mentioned openings 21.

By comparison of Figures 3, 4 and 8 it will be understood that a circuit such as shown in Figure 8 and connected with the wires 60 and 61 lof a main circuit is provided in conjunction with each electric motor 27 and the box 3 complementary to the said electric motor 27 Each of said circuits will be understood as including spaced terminals 62 adapted to be electrically connected by a conductor 63 on the door 22 when the door 22 is closed, this provision being made in order to prevent any apartment holder from bringing about the movement upward'of lhisl respective box 3 until after the door 22`is closed. It will also be understood that each of the said circuits complementary to a box 3 and its electric motor 27 includes spaced terminals and a conductive lever 7l, spaced terminals 72 and a conductive lever 73 and spaced terminals 74 adjacent to the levers 42 whichl is provided with conductive means 42X.

When each box 3 is vlowered and the stop 34 contacts with the lever 7l, the lever 71 will be moved against the action of its spring 8O out of contact with the terminals 70, and consequently the electric circuit including the motor complementary to the particular box 3 will be interrupted and downwardmovement of the particular box 3 will be stopped. On the upward movement of the particular box 3 the stop 33 on the cable 29 by acting against the lever 73 will move said lever 7 3 out of contact with the terminals 7 2, andconsequently the upward movement of the box 3 will be stopped when said box 3 is coincident with the opening 50in the shaft wall, Figure 4. When the lever 42 is in connection with the terminals 74 the box 3 will be lowered, while when said lever 42 is in connect-ion with the other pair of terminals adjacent to the lever 42, the box 3 will be raised.

By virtue of the spring connections between the cables 29 and 30, on the one hand, and the particular box 3, on the other, the completion of each upward and downwarf movement of each box 3 will obviously be cushioned. In this connection it will be understood that as each box 3 becomes coincident with its respective opening 50 the box Figure 4.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that certain of the lcircuit making and breaking provisions of my yimprovement precludeelevation of any one of theboxes 3 by 5 manipulationof tlielever l2 until'y the door 22 is closed by the letter carrier; also, that other of the circuit'making and breaking provisions assure the stoppageot the motor 27 of each box 3, when the latter reachesthe l0 ends of itsupwa'rd andA downward travversa, an import-ant factor in this connec-- t-ioii being the notification to a box holder of the opening of the door l of his respective box by a carrier for the placing of mail in the box. Y p

I have specifically described the preferred embodiment of my invention in order to impart an exact understanding of the said embodiment. I do not desire, however, to be understood asV confining myself to the construction and relative arrangement of parts as disclosed inasmuch as the scopev of my invention is defined by my appended claims within which changes may be made without departure from my invention.

I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent,

is Y

l. In mail handling equipment for apartment houses, shafts extending from a central station at the ground floor to upper floors and having openings at said points,

boxes movable in said shafts, and adapted to register with said openings, means for so moving the boxes, and vertically-movable 10 gravitational doors for closing the upper openings, said doors being raised to open position by the upward movement of their respective boxes.

2. In mail handling equipment for apartment houses, shaft-s extending` from a central station at the ground iioor to upper floors and having openings at said points, boxes movable in said shafts, and adapted to register with said openings, a door controlling access to the lseveral boxesV at the ground floor and electro-mechanical means for raising and lowering the boxes and including controls one for each box andbox holder,

5r and also including circuit makers and L breakers controlled by said box can be moved until the door is closed.

3. In mail handling equipment for apartment houses, shafts extending from a central station at the ground floor to upper GO floors and having openings at said points,

boxes movable in said shaft-s, and adapted to regi-ster with said openings, andL having doors, means for raising the boxes, and

electro-mechanical signals one for ea'cli box and box hol er an inc uing a circuit door whereby no maker and breaker; controlled by "the boxdoor andV adaptedjto close a; normally ope-n circuit and actuate the signal when thef door 1ijsopened for the placing of mail in the 4. lIn mail handlingequipment for apartment houses, shafts extending from a .cen-

trall station at the ground ioor toi upper floors and having openings at said points, boxes movable'in said shafts and adapted? to register with said openings, said: boxes having doors, electro-mechanical signals one' vfor each box and box holder and including a circuit maker and breaker controlled by the box door and adapted to close a normally open circuit and actuate the signal when the door is opened for the placing of mail in the box, a door controlling access to the several boxes at the ground floor, and electromechanical means for raising and lowering the boxes and including controls one for each box and box holder andalso including circuit makers and breakers cont-rolled by the last-named door whereby no box can be moved until said door is closed.

5. In mail handling equipment for apartment houses, shafts extending from a central station at the ground floor` to upper floors and having openings at said points, boxes movable in said shafts and adapted to register with said openings, said boxes having doors, electro-mechanical signals one for each box and box holder and including a circuit maker and breaker controlled by the box door and adapted to close a normally open circuit and actuate the signal when the door is opened for theplacing of mail in the box, a door controlling access to the severa-l boxes at the ground floor, and electromechanical means for raising and lowering the boxes and including controls one for each Vbox and box holder and also including circuit makers and breakers controlled by they last-named door whereby ndibox can be moved until said door is closed; the said upper openings of the shafts being provided with vertically movable gravitational doors, and the saidA doors being relatively arranged to be raised to open position by the box complementary to the door as said box moves upwardly intocoincidence with its respective upper opening. 6. In mail handling equipment for apartment houses, shafts extending from ay cen-` tral station at the ground floor to upper floors and having openings atsaid points, boxes movable in said shafts and adapted to register with said openings, a door controlling access to the several boxes at the ground floor, and electro-mechanical meansfor raising and'lowering the boxes and including controls one for each box and box holder, and `also including circuitbr'eakers for stopping each box when it reaches a position coincident with either ofits openings,

ico

and further including circuit makers and breakers controlled by the said door whereby no box can be raised until said door is at the ground floor and having protuberances one for each box door to- 'close the same; and electro-mechanical means for 15 raising and lowering the boxes and 1nc1uding controls one for each box and boxholder and also includingcircuit makers and break ers controlled by the last-named door whereby no box can be raised until said 20 lastenamed door is closed.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

OLIVER L. NORRELL. 

